This past few weeks have been a whirlwind of new things for Brian and I. But I am sooo grateful and thankful. Here is a little recap of some news and odds and ends.

WPPI // SHOWIT UNITED RECAP
We got back from WPPI in Vegas about a week ago and it was such a great time. I always love seeing and recognizing faces and meeting people in person. It always makes the interbwebs feel much smaller. Don’t you agree?

I spoke about how to design YOU into your website and visual identity. and hopefully I will share some of what I talked about here soon. I did a live website critique and that was REALLY interesting. I think the people that came to watch learned some great tips and tricks as well. I had a lot of fun doing that. and to top it off…at my presentation session I gave away 3 sites to the session attendees and the room really lit up. Haha. I am really stoked for those of you that won the new designs. Send a link when they’re published. I always love to see the designs customized. AND I was honored to be on a Q&A panel with some really talented designers (Michael from Myndt, and Earl&Layne) talking about everything from our design pet peeves, to advice on boosting your brand, to the creative process.
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Since when did the definition of “freelance” become, “Unemployed starving artist?” Does anyone know how this happened? I discontinued using the term “freelance,” as it relates to my business and occupation a few years ago when I discovered that it has, “I’m a starving artist,” written all over it. In conversations with non-industry people the word unknowingly had negative implications of the success of my business. Was it the way I was SAYING it? Was it the tone in my voice? Was it just the people I was talking to that just didn’t understand?
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Tomorrow we head out to Las Vegas for a photography conference called WPPI. This will be our third year going and we can’t what!! We are there Sunday-Wednesday and would love to meet up and say HI!! Below are places to find me:

MON. FEB 20 // LIVE DESIGN CRITIQUE // 5PM // MGM SIGNATURE: TOWER 1: CONFERENCE RM D
I will be doing LIVE design critiques of websites. Should be a hoot

MON. FEB 20 // PHOTOG UNITE // 7-10PM // MGM SIGNATURE: TOWER 2: CONFERENCE RM A&B
Come hang out with other believer-photographers for an amazing inspiration message and worship led by my hubby and his buddies. Don’t miss this. It was everyone’s highlight last year.

TUES. FEB 21 // PRESENTATION // 2:30-3:30PM // MGM SIGNATURE: TOWER 2: CONFERENCE RM B
I will be talking about how to design YOU into your site and create a consistent brand through visual identity.

TUES. FEB 21 // DESIGNER PANEL // 3:30-4:30PM // MGM SIGNATURE:TOWER 2: CONFERENCE RM A
I will be on a panel with 2 other graphic designers for a Q&A type of session. Come with your questions or make em up when you get there. It will be a great time.

Are you are going to WPPI…What events/parties/platforms are you MOST excited about?

It’s that time again when we are inches away from launching the new Spring 2012 website collection for Site House, and I can’t believe we are approaching our 4th release. Where has the time gone? This blog post covers A LOT of fun and new stuff to be excited about including our Facebook video event. EEKK!!!

SPRING 2012 SITEHOUSE WEBSITE RELEASE
I am really stoked on the design, movement, functionality, and options this website spring line has to offer. Check out the thumbnail previews up top. The design aesthetic is clean, interesting, and interactive. This season, I put more focus on strategic layout and functionality – making the sites even easier to envision your logo, graphics, colors, and photos. Each design looks great with a variety of different logo shapes and sizes. I know all you photogs are particular about how you display your images (and rightfully so). Therefore, three of the designs I’ve created have three different gallery style layouts to choose from. YAY for choices and options!
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Brian’s gray dress shirt was jumping out at me in the closet today and I couldn’t resist. I’m a sucker for the long cuff sleeves. And I do have to say that I am guilty for wearing my husbands clothes from time to time. YEEKS. That is the one nice thing about having a husband that’s close to your size. And no I’m not crazy… but sometimes its just fun to wear an oversized somethin somethin… ya know?

So much fun that I am considering doing a little mini series on He wears She Wears (Fun fashion finds in my husband’s closet). The first one I did is posted HERE. I thought it would be a fun, new, and an interesting challenge. What do you vote? yay or nay? If not… it’s no biggy I have plenty of other things to post.
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Yea, yea, yea…Comparing yourself to others may have some benefits from time to time, BUT as artists it usually can go south pretty QUICK. RIIIIGHT?!?! And in some seasons it can be hard to recover. This past week Laurie asked the question: “What advice would you give to someone who struggles with comparing or feels insecure about their [work/business/life]?” And it really got me thinking about how we deal with this issue. We all do it!! GUILTY!!

Although I am not any kind of self confidence wizard I listed out a few things that have really helped me navigate through the artist’s “depths-of-despair”, as Anne of Green Gables would put it.
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Umm… first off. I LOOOVED your comments that you guys left yesterday. I loved reading your stories and hearing about your blogs. VERY COOL. I feel like it makes the internet just a touch smaller, wouldn’t ya say?

There is nothing better than getting back to the basics. And when I say back to the basics…. It’s the real deal. Just lemon and water. haha. I first discovered the joy of lemon water when I was doing some research on Eat Right For Your Blood Type awhile back when I was navigating through some health concerns. Needless to say I really fell in love with the simplicity of lemons and water in the morning. And now my husband NEEDS his lemon water every morning because he fell in love with it too. Haha. He actually says that he feels a difference in the way he feels during the day when he doesn’t have a glass. I also feel healthy when I drink it (could be a physiological thing. haha) and I find that I drink less coffee after I have had a glass of lemon water.
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I was SOOO surprised that literally hundreds of you took the time to give me feedback on the survey I posted a couple of weeks ago….and i’m very grateful for that! A big thank you!! Although I read all the comments that come in on a regular basis… I LOVED finding out a bit more about you and also your feedback and insight regarding the blog’s content, voice, and posting. I found it refreshing, insightful, encouraging, and well, funny…. actually. So… do you want to know the results? I thought so. Okay, a little bit about you:
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YAY!! You guys asked for it!! Another Hair-How-To guide for ya. HERE is the first one. This time it’s with The Girls with Glasses Show. Oh man I love these girls. They are the funniest, funnest, sweetest, silliest, smartest girls I know. So when they asked if I wanted to share some hair tips with them I could NOT pass it up. I have like 3 or 4 pairs of fake glasses just because they make it look so fun.

Hopefully this tutorial inspires you in some way to have fun with your hair and experiment a little.
THREE THINGS:
1 // We want to see photos.
2 // If you missed the Art Photo Transfer Process I did with them last year check it out HERE.
3 // Oh and leave some love on their blogpost if you get a minute!
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WINNER: Shannon from: fotoNovella

You may remember THIS BAG by Organik Clothing that I posted to instagram when I was on vacation in Hawaii this November. I found it in a little surf shop in Kuai and totally fell in love. The bag has a versatile strap… So it can be worn as a back pack with two straps or as just an over the shoulder bag with one strap. GENIUS!! I love to use it as an overnight bag. But one of the best parts is its made from recycled coffee bean bags from Hawaii. #LOVE
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If you enjoy reading this blog… would you be willing to answer a quick questionnaire? I’ve got some fun ideas for how to move forward for 2012 and I’m looking to find out a little more information about you and what you like. Come on…. This is exactly what you do on Fridays, right? Answer a few blog questions?!? GO RIGHT NOW. Also, feel free to leave some ideas or notes here in the comment section too. Thanks so much. I owe you two cookies and a kiss. FUN STUFF AHEAD.

Oh yea…Above is my personal instagram art. I’d like to call it *Instaglam* if you will. haha.

PIIINK!!!! My hair girl, kim, recommended me adding some fun wash out color to the ends of my hair for a fun and fresh look. The brand she recommended required waiting for the shipment… so I just went to Ulta, a beauty supply store, to see if they carried something similar… and they did. Streekers. A Wild Weekend indeed. haha. I LOVE IT!!! They had a bunch of colors to choose from. I choose pink becuase it would show up the best on my light brown hair. The color is great because it goes on as a liquid and doesn’t come off until I wash it out!! and it comes RIGHT OUT!!! Perfecto! Fun and NEW!! I feel like it’s putting a new spin on all my outfits. If you decide to give it a try… Keep in mind that it does not show up on dark hair.

YOU like? Yay or NAY?